A. Combating terrorism within the framework of the UN

One of the United Nations immediate political priorities is the institutionalisation of international treaties that will help tackle terrorism. From 1963 to this day, 13 international ad hoc conventions have been adopted on the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism (the latest was signed in 2005).

The September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States have given new impetus to interstate cooperation and currently state efforts are focusing on more specific issues linked with terrorist acts such as: taking measures to prevent the financing of organisations considered to be involved in the planning of terrorist attacks, freezing assets of individuals and entities that have taken part in terrorist attacks, and discouraging states considered to be harbouring terrorists systematically.

The UN Security Council has a leading role to play in the whole UN campaign against terrorism, starting with Resolution 1373/2001, which has been the basis for the setting up of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), aimed at reinforcing member-state capabilities as part of national efforts to tackle terrorism effectively and produce the intended results. Before the approval of Resolution 1373, Resolution 1267/1999 on imposing and monitoring sanctions on Al-Qaida and the Taliban had been in force. The UN Counter-Terrorism Committee is assisted in carrying out its tasks by the Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, which was established pursuant to Resolution 1535/2004.

Of equal importance is Resolution 1540/2004 calling upon member states to take the necessary measures in order to prevent WMDs and their technology from falling in the hands of terrorist groups. Another Resolution 1566/2004 regards measures against organisations that are not covered by Resolution 1267.

In 2005, UN Secretary General established the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, responsible for monitoring the involvement of all UN agencies in this area. In September of the same year, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1624 condemning all acts of terrorism irrespective of their motivation.

The United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Strategy was adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2006. Its text analyses the basic elements of the UNs counter-terrorism policy. The Strategys basic axes are focusing on 4 basic areas, i.e.:

1) measures to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism;

2) measures to prevent and combat terrorism;

3) measures to build states capacity to prevent and combat terrorism and to strengthen the role of the United Nations system in this regard, and

4) measures to ensure respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as the fundamental basis of the fight against terrorism.

Finally, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution regarding the evaluation of the Strategys implementation in September 2008.

B. EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union Counter-Terrorism Strategy is the EUs fundamental text on tackling terrorism and it was adopted in November 2005. It included 4 basic objectives that could be summed up in the areas of prevention, protection, combating and tackling terrorist acts.

Responsible for the coordination and harmonisation of national practices and EU policy is an ad hoc U Counter-Terrorism Coordinator. The European Union has also adopted Common Position 931/2001, which provides for the freezing of assets of individuals and entities involved in terrorist acts and their inclusion in certain lists. A working group has been set up in conformity with Common Position 931/2001 and it is responsible for examining and evaluating information exchanged between member states regarding the inclusion or removal from these lists of individuals and entities. 

C. Greeces positions

 Greece unequivocally condemns all forms of terrorism and takes part in EU and UN efforts towards addressing this phenomenon.

During its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council (2005-2006), our country assumed the vice-presidency of the UN Counter-Terrorism Group (Resolution 1373/2001). In the same period, we also assumed the vice-presidency of the Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee.

With regard to national legislation, all the necessary measures are being taken towards preventing terrorist financing. The latest such measure (Law 3691) was adopted in August 2008 regarding the prevention and fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. In conformity with this Law's provisions, a committee has been set up within the Ministry of Finance aimed at addressing money laundering and terrorist financing issues. The committee's members include a representative of the Foreign Ministry.

Our country has been a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental organisation aimed at promoting policies through 40 recommendations aimed at tackling terrorist financing.

Last modified: October 2008